Join me in Beds 2009/02/11

Another brief update—hold onto your swearing, I’m preparing a good, fruity rant about the deficiencies of Fallout 3 (if the avatar has a frigging torch then surely it would be a good idea to tell the player instead of letting them run around in the frigging dark? Also, I have had it with games that play in accelerated real-time. I know your programmers put a lot of time into those dynamic shadows and lighting effects but every couple of hours I do not want night to fall so I can spend my time playing in the frigging dark, finding that the trader I want to talk to has shut up for the night. This is not realistic and it doesn’t enhance immersion. It feels hokey and is frustrating as hell. Stop it.)

Meanwhile, I’m going to be giving the latest iteration of my designing-games workshop on Friday 27th February, this time at ‘Workshop on games and simulations for PDP and employability‘, an all-day event at at the University of Bedfordshire, and if you thought that PDP was a family of 1970s minicomputers that ran Spacewar then you’re not alone. No, it’s ‘Personal Development Planning’. Essentially this will be about designing games and game-like experiences to help people improve their real-world decision-making, with an emphasis on the professional. I’ll be sharing the platform with the excellent Ruth Lawton and Ron Manton.

For some time I’ve been trying to interest a publisher in a book about using the skills one develops playing tabletop and video games, and applying them in the workplace to improve your performance and get yourself promoted. I firmly believe it would be a monster hit. Whether this session will overlap significantly with that… well, you’ll have to come along and find out. £85 to get in. Bargain.

Also, I’m a special guest at the games convention Conpulsion in Edinburgh, 28/29th March, along with Jon Hodgson and Andy Hepworth, both of whom have worked on the new edition of Dragon Warriors, and Gregor Hutton who I rate as the best RPG designer in the UK today. It should be a fun weekend. Expect much signing.

2 Comments

I distinctly remember being told to hold down the Pip-Boy button (B on 360 ) to activate the Pip-Boy Light during the opening section of Fallout 3. In fact, I’m pretty sure your dad tells you this as soon as he gives it to you.